THERE was concern, disgust and outrage throughout the football community in Scotland back in September when a nine-year-old Celtic fan was hospitalised after being struck by a flare at the Champions League match against Real Madrid at Parkhead.

The young boy, who was doubtless elated about getting the chance to see his heroes in action against the reigning European champions, was hit and burned by a pyrotechnic which one of his fellow supporters had thrown.

He was attended to by medics inside the stadium and then transferred to the nearest accident and emergency ward for further treatment.

The disturbing incident led to an outpouring of sympathy and anger. Heartfelt hopes were expressed the lad was alright. There were widespread calls for the individual responsible to be identified and punished accordingly.

The Herald:

There was, too, much discussion online about what could be done to stop an irresponsible and highly dangerous practice that has become increasingly prevalent at games across the country in the days which followed.

The debate, though, fizzled out almost as quickly as the offending device after it had been removed and placed in a sand bucket by a steward wearing full protective clothing.

READ MORE: How football in Norway has pioneered safe pyrotechnic areas in grounds

Nothing has changed since. Games here in the past four months have seen flares and smoke bombs set off in the in the stands and thrown onto the pitch on a regular basis. The problem is not going away. If anything, it is getting worse.  

What would have happened if the boy had not been so fortunate?

There are many who believe that those who warn about the dangers of pyrotechnics inside stadiums are simply scaremongering and argue that relatively few people have been harmed around the world despite their repeated use at matches for years.

However, serious accidents, tragedies even, have occurred. Kevin Beltran, a 14-year-old San Jose supporter, was killed in Bolivia back in 2013 when a flare that was thrown by a Corinthians fan after his side had scored in a Copa Libertadores match lodged in his eye. He died instantly. 

“There was a loss of brain matter as the projectile, a plastic tube, penetrated the skull,” said Jose Maria Vargas, the doctor who treated the child at the Obrero Hospital in Oruro afterwards. “Due to this, death was immediate."

It is wrong to suggest that a fatality would only happen in South America. John Hill, a 67-year-old Wales fan, was killed by a marine distress flare that was fired by one of his fellow supporters as he cheered on his country during an important World Cup qualifier against Romania in Cardiff in 1993.

Does it need a death before Scottish football takes action to extinguish the illegal use of pyrotechnics inside grounds? Clubs, the government, governing bodies, the emergency services and fan groups must come together and look at the complex issue together in a constructive manner before the unthinkable happens.

The Herald:

Numerous views have been aired on this important topic in these pages this week. David Hamilton of the Scottish Police Federation welcomed the increased powers which his officers have been given by Holyrood to search fans. But he called far more to be done and predicted that stadiums could be closed down if there is no improvement in the situation.

It is hard not to empathise with clubs. How can they be reasonably expected to prevent a dozen pyrotechnics from being smuggled in when tens of thousands of people are filing through the turnstiles in the space of an hour or so?

Could they do more retrospectively? Don’t they have CCTV cameras? Back in 2017 the Rangers fans who made monkey gestures after Celtic player Scott Sinclair had scored at Ibrox was located in jig time and charged after footage was reviewed.

READ MORE: Well Society director calls for adult debate on safe pyro in Scotland

But study any picture of any supporter holding up a flare or setting off a smoke bomb and you will notice the same thing - they are all wearing balaclavas or have scarves pulled up over their faces.     

Anyway, the myriad banning orders that have been issued and other drastic measures which have been taken have not had the desired effect.

Celtic have closed down their safe-standing section in the past in the wake of flares being lit under banner displays after being informed their stadium safety certificate was at risk of not being renewed by Glasgow City Council.

But there have been carefully coordinated displays at many of their matches this season. It is often an identical story when their rivals play at home or abroad. The “no pyro no party” brigade will not be easily deterred. So is “safe pyro” the answer?

Nils Fisketjonn, the competition director at the Norwegian Football Association, told yesterday how having designated areas where certain individuals could set off pyrotechnics at specific times had dramatically reduced their illegal use in the stands and made grounds across the country safer places.

It is difficult to envisage it ever happening here. Would the ultra element really leave their strobes at home if there was an officially sanctioned show before kick-off? Still, that is not to say there shouldn’t be a mature conversation between all the relevant parties on the subject.

Only dialogue, not diktats, will ensure that Scotland’s pyrotechnic problem is addressed before somebody is badly hurt or, God forbid, loses their life.